Lehi City Council Meeting - November 12, 2024

The Lehi City Council met on November 12, 2024, beginning with a pre-council session at 5:32 PM and the regular session at 7:00 PM. All council members were present. The meeting included PARC tax recipient reports, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) priorities discussion, citizen input, approval of two power sales contracts, approval of a zoning ordinance, withdrawal of an ADU ordinance, and a presentation on North Lehi transportation.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent agenda, including city council meeting minutes, purchase orders, and surplus fleet items. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Marshall Gary (Strong Towns Lehi) expressed appreciation for Lehi's bike lanes, multi-use paths, and snow clearing. He stated that he and his family replaced one car with a cargo bike and supports further active transportation infrastructure.
• Leah J. (Strong Towns Lehi) voiced support for bike lanes, curb extensions, and incremental changes using temporary materials. She emphasized making Lehi more financially solvent and less car-dependent.
• Bryce Backer (Strong Towns Lehi) highlighted collaboration with the city on trail planning and a potential $25,000 grant for tree planting. He expressed support for walkability and bikeability.
• Mike Belling (resident) requested changes to the city's noise ordinance, stating that enforcement is inconsistent and that a previous noise study held no water. He said residents have no leverage when complaining about industrial noise from HADCO. The Mayor acknowledged staff had been working on buffering standards but had not yet addressed noise.

Presentations & Reports

PARC Tax Recipient Reports

• Michelle Hobrook (Curtis Center) returned $3,134.93 of a $4,000 PARC grant, reporting $865.08 in expenditures. She noted unused funds resulted from a discount and miscommunication about the grant deadline.
• Hutchings Museum reported using PARC funds for temperature-controlled storage and security. A prior ADA bathroom grant was canceled because it was deemed infeasible.
• Lehi Silver Band reported doubling band membership in two years and a 50% increase in audience base. They spent PARC funds on percussion instruments and bandwagon refurbishment, with $23,000 in annual expenses and $16,000 in income, plus about 5,000 donated hours valued at roughly seven times cash expenses.
• Lehi Arts Council reported 593 children in youth programs and over 12,000 tickets sold in fiscal year 2023. PARC funds supported show rights, sets, wireless microphones, and LED theater lights; they returned unspent funds because they received a better price than expected.
• Harrington Center for the Arts reported on two grants: a 2023 grant for computer systems and archive materials totaling $20,000 (actual spend $21,000) enabled addition of 6,000 sub-collections, 9,000 items, and 3,500 images; and a separate grant funded the Chalk It Up festival, which drew 181 chalk artists, 153 pieces, and nearly 11,000 attendees.
• Lehi Literacy Center used PARC funds to add a partition, a handicap-accessible stall, and a urinal to the boys' restroom, bringing it to two stalls.
• Thanksgiving Point used PARC funds to build a junior paleo lab and a collections room, serving thousands of children and making collections accessible.
• Wasatch Contemporary Dance used PARC funds to produce "Saver," an interactive dance and food-pairing performance at The Lodge at Traverse in April 2024, with professional dancers and positive audience feedback.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Priorities

• Claudia (MAG) presented the CDBG program, noting Lehi receives approximately $300,000 annually from HUD. Funding categories include housing, public services, public facilities/improvements, and economic development. She is preparing a five-year consolidated plan (2025-2029) and will issue a separate survey for Lehi residents to gather more input.
• Council members allocated five points each among priority activities. Housing, streets/utilities, and community services were identified as top priorities based on resident survey responses.

Discussion Items

Resolution #2024-55 - Power County Power Project Power Sales Contract

• Joel (city staff) explained a 360 MW baseload power plant in Power County, Idaho. The city's subscription was reduced to 25 MW from an initial recommendation of 50 MW. A $5 million transmission interconnection deposit is required (city share ~$1.4 million combined with the next resolution), to be funded via a line of credit through UAMPS.
• Council discussed Project Member Committee (PMC) authority, cost caps, and the city's voting power. The city is the second-largest participant in the baseload plant. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote (Paige, Paul, Heather, Chris, Michelle all yes).

Resolution #2024-56 - Millard County Power Project Power Sales Contract

• This resolution covers a 200 MW peaking power plant in Millard County. The city is the largest participant in this project. The contract is nearly identical to the Power County contract. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote (Paul, Heather, Chris, Michelle, Paige all yes).

Ordinance #65-2024 - Corner Lot Rear Yard Setback Amendment

• Kim (staff) presented an amendment to Development Code Table 05.040A to reduce the rear yard setback on corner lots from 30 feet to 15 feet for remodels, matching the side yard setback and allowing homeowners to expand without moving. The ordinance passed unanimously by roll call vote (Heather, Chris, Michelle, Paige, Paul all yes).

Ordinance #66-2024 - Detached ADU Side Yard Setback Amendment

• Kim proposed amending Chapter 26 to adjust side yard setbacks for detached ADUs. However, she noted the draft may not fully address one-story versus two-story buildings and window placements. Council debated whether to wait for a more refined version. A motion to withdraw the ordinance was made and seconded, and it was withdrawn by consensus; staff will return with a revised draft.

Transportation System in North Lehi

• Mayor Johnson reported a productive meeting with UDOT, state legislators Kay Christofferson and Corey Maloy, and UDOT Director Carlos Braceras. UDOT acknowledged the city's traffic projections and agreed to move forward on the freeway-to-freeway connector (Point of the Mountain connector) if the city takes on the Clubhouse Drive extension. The city agreed to accept Clubhouse Drive ownership and seek MAG funding.
• Luke presented alternatives 4A and 4B for the connector, with 4B now under study because it improves interchange spacing and resolves Bluffdale's concerns. The connector would add about 25,000 trips per day to I-15, prompting UDOT to design a collector-distributor system. Cost estimates range from $1.7 billion to $2.5 billion, with need projected around 2050. The 2100 North freeway will have three lanes in each direction and is scheduled for construction starting around 2026, with completion by 2028.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda (minutes, purchase orders, surplus items).
• Approved Resolution #2024-55 (Power County Power Sales Contract) unanimously.
• Approved Resolution #2024-56 (Millard County Power Sales Contract) unanimously.
• Approved Ordinance #65-2024 (corner lot rear yard setback reduction) unanimously.
• Withdrew Ordinance #66-2024 (detached ADU side yard setback amendment) for further refinement.
• Received PARC tax recipient reports and CDBG priority input.
• Held a discussion on North Lehi transportation, acknowledging UDOT's commitment to study the freeway connector and the city's agreement to take over Clubhouse Drive.